After the Loss
by melanie.campbell.3348
Summary: This is my sequel to my story, "The Loss." I always felt bad adding more to the original story, but felt that was what my readers wanted. I decided to make us both happy, and leave the original where I wanted and a sequel where they would like it to continue. Everyone is happy. So, this is a JE, Babe, taking place after the loss. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

This is my sequel to my story, "The Loss." I always felt bad adding more to the original story, but felt that was what my readers wanted. I decided to make us both happy, and leave the original where I wanted and a sequel where they would like it to continue. Everyone is happy. So, this is a JE, Babe, taking place after the loss. Enjoy!

 ** **A/N: Character's internal thoughts are in**** _ _ ** **Italic.****__

"Wait. How long?" __That can't be right.__

"A month." Les repeated softly. "You haven't left the apartment in a month."

I looked around at the monitor room at all the men's faces, while my brain tried to understand Les's words. They didn't look like my Merry Men anymore, the family I knew and loved. Anguish twisted some of their faces, causing me to look away quickly before it over took me again. Anger was prevalent in others, but in a few of the men's eyes I saw hope, and a hint of a smile as they looked at me. __Hope in me?__ That's when it hit me. I had left them. Abandoned them. __"Too."__ My mind whispered, and I felt the familiar pain pushing to return to the home it had made in my chest. __No. Not now. Not again.__ Squeezing my eyes shut, I shook my head and fought back this time. "No."

"You okay, Steph? Maybe we should go back..."

"No." I interrupted, looking him straight in the eye. "No."

This brought a small smile to his face, and just for a moment, I caught a glimpse of my old Les. Before I knew it, I felt my cheeks pull up in a smile. The pain in my chest receded, and was replaced with warmth. I thanked Les with a kiss on the cheek, before turning to smile at the men, my family.

One by one, I saw smiles returned to those haggard faces as I scanned the room. The unmistakable expression of relief from Hal's face stopped me. Crossing the room, I wrapped my arms around him.

"I'm sorry." My words muffled as he bear hugged me in return.

"We love you, Steph. You're family. No need to apologize. We understand."

His words brought tears to my eyes. Tears were all too familiar to me lately. This time, instead of the painful sting they usually brought, the warmth in my chest grew. I felt overwhelmed by the love from my friends, my family.

 _ _My family. Oh no!__

"Oh shit." The realization began to hit me. "Oh shit!" I pushed out of Hal's hug, and began to franticly pace back and forth. "My family!" My voice screeched. "They must be freaking out! I didn't call. Hell, I don't even know where my phone is!" Hector appeared out of no where holding a phone out to me. "Gracias." I starred down at the screen, and saw the phone call and message icons were both showing over a hundred. "I missed all those Sunday dinners!" I was beginning to go into hysterics. My hands tried desperately to push my wild curls from my face. "My mother must have burned up the iron!"

"What?" Woody questioned while he and the others watch me, their heads moving with my pacing.

"What?" I stopped. "Oh. When her nerves are shot, she irons. It's usually me that drives her to iron."

I could picture her ironing away in the kitchen. When she went through all the laundry, she would grab anything she could find. "One time, after I showed up to Sunday dinner with a black eye, complements from a skip, she started ironing the washcloths. I remember Grandma laughing, and bring her the dish towels to do next." __I remember giggling at that, too.__ That got me thinking. "I'm surprised Grandma hasn't come by."

That brought a groan from the men.

"What?" __She is a handful, but...__

"She has."

 _ _Did Tank just roll his eyes when he said that?__ I blinked. __No. I must be seeing things.__

"Hal threatened to quit if we let her back into the monitor room." He continued.

I turned to Hal, and gestured at his abundant muscular stature. "Oh come on. You can't handle a little old lady?"

"She sat on my lap." He mumbled.

"Well, that doesn't sound so..."

"And tried to give me a lap dance."

"So bad." I continued. "Yeah. Yeah, that does."

 ** **Thanks for reading!****


	2. Chapter 2

****Previously...****

 _ _Did Tank just roll his eyes when he said that?__ I blinked. __No. I must be seeing things.__

"Hal threatened to quit if we let her back into the monitor room." He continued.

I turned to Hal, and gestured at his abundant muscular stature. "Oh, come on. You can't handle a little old lady?"

"She sat on my lap." He mumbled.

"Well, that doesn't sound so..."

"And tried to give me a lap dance."

"So bad." I continued. "Yeah. Yeah, that does."

 ** **...****

The room erupted in laughter, and I couldn't help myself from joining in. When I finally tried to catch my breath, I wiped my eyes and was surprised to find tears. I stared at the watery drops on my finger for a moment. It seems like they were a part of me now, a part of my appearance. Always present on my face. __Such a small little drop. It has carried so much of my pain, and now happiness.__ I felt Les's arm around my shoulder, and I nodded, indicating that I was alright. I walked straight up to a very red face, embarrassed Hal, and hugged him again. I whispered thank you, as he hugged me back. The laughter had died down, and that's when I heard it. Panic tore through my chest again. My hands quickly covered my horrified gasp. Everyone went silent and still, and now the sound was almost deafening to my ears. "Rex!" I ran towards the sound of him running on his squeaky wheel. "How could I have forgotten about you?" I fell to my knees in front of his cage.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Steph." Woody smiled down at me as he leaned against the door jam of his office. "We took care of him. We know how much he means to you."

My eyes still full of worry, as I watched the wheel stop and Rex scurry over to my hand pressed against the glass of his cage.

"He must have heard your voice. He hasn't been this active."

Looking back up to Woody, I sighed, "Thank you." He smile and nodded in return. I scooped up Rex, and snuggled him closely to my cheek. I missed his soft fur, and the little hamster noises he makes. Not wanting to stress the poor thing out, I put him back in his cage. Looking around for a treat for the little guy, I wasn't surprised to find a bowl full of little veggies and raisins next to his cage. Shaking my head and giggling, "They've got you eating healthy, too?" I dropped a raisin in, and he quickly shoved it in his mouth, then ran into his soup can. "Poor thing, must miss cheese puffs." __Mmm... Cheese puffs sound good. Cheese...Pizza!__ "I'm hungry!"

Woody held the bowl of Rex's treats out to me. The look I gave him in return, had him slowly putting down the bowl, and backing off.

"Steph, we just ate." Les laughed.

"That was dessert. Now, I need food. Pizza. I need pizza." I felt the buzz of my phone that I had shoved in my pocket. I didn't even look at it. I knew who it was. "Besides, I need it."

"You need pizza?" Les joked.

"It will give me the courage I need to face my family."

"Alright then. Pino's it is. Move out!"

I leaned into Les as he guided me to the door, and whispered, "Thanks."

"Anything you need." He smiled.

"I might need a donut afterwards."

He burst out laughing. "Of course you do!"

 ** **...****

 ** **Thanks for reading!****


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